Page:History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 1.djvu/325

 Bk. IV. Ch. II. INTRODUCTION. 293 forms lonir since familiar to the Roman world. Had Rome retained lier power and pre-eminence a century or two longer, a style might jiave been elaborated as distinct from that of the ancient world, and as complete in itself as our pointed Gothic, and perhaps more beautiful. Such was not the destiny of the world ; and what we have now to do is to examine this transition style as Ave find it in ancient Rome, and familiarize ourselves with the forms it took during the three centuries of its existence, as without this knowledge all the arts of the Gothic era would forever remain an inexjilicable mystery. The chief value of the Roman style consists in the fact that it contains the germs of all that is found in the Middle Ages, and affords the key by which its mysteries may be unlocked, and its treasures rendered available. Had the transition been carried through in the hands of an art-loving and artistic people, the architectural beauties of Rome must have surpassed those of any other city in the world, for its buildings surpass in scale those of Egypt and in variety those of Greece, while they affect to combine the beauties of both. In constructive ingenuity they far surpass anything the world had seen up to that time, but this cannot redeem offences against good taste, nor enable any Roman productions to command our admiration as Avorks of ai-t, or entitle them to rank as models to be followed either literally or in spirit. During the first two centuries and a half of her existence, Rome was virtually an Etruscan city, wholly under Etruscan influence ; and during that period we read of temples and palaces being built, and of works of immense magnitude beino- undertaken for the embellish- ment of the city ; and Ave have even now more remains of kingly than Ave have of consular Rome. After expelling her kings and shaking off Etruscan influence, Rome existed as a republic for five centuries, and during this long age of barbarism she did nothing to advance science or art. Literature was almost Avholly unknown within her Avails, and not one monument has come down to our time, even by tradition, Avorthy of a city of a tenth part of her poAver and magnitude. There is probably no instance in the history of the world of a capital city existing so long, populous and peaceful at home, prosperous and powerful abroad, and at the same time so utterly devoid of any monuments or any magnificence to dignify her existence. When, however, Carthage Avas conquered and destroyed, when Greece was overrun and plundered, and Egypt, with her long-treasured art, bad become a dependent province, Rome was no longer the city of the Aryan Romans, but the sole capital of the civilized Avorld. Into her lap Avere poured all the artistic riches of the universe ; to Rome flocked all Avho sought a higher distinction or a more extended field for their ambition than thei;' own ])rovincial ca])itals could then afford. She